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The Strokes

The Strokes
"Angles"
March 22

Despite reports of friction in the Strokes camp-borne out, perhaps, by the five-year break between albums-frontman Julian Casablancas has positive thoughts about the making of the New York quintet's fourth album, a 10-song effort that's due this spring. "Everyone's more easygoing," he says, "and everyone feels more confident and just trusts each other a little bit. What we're trying to do now is more of a collaboration, and . . . when we meet with the band, and talk, and play music, there's just a different level of ease and comfort."

After touring to support 2006's "First Impressions of Earth," which debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200, the five Strokes launched various solo projects: guitarist Albert Hammond Jr. released two solo albums; drummer Fab Moretti and bassist Nikolai Fraiture formed bands Little Joy and Nickel Eye, respectively; guitarist Nick Valensi recorded with Little Joy, Regina Spektor and Devendra Banhart; and Casablancas released a solo set, "Phrazes for the Young" (2009), and worked with New York-based comic music troupe the Lonely Island.

The Strokes began talking about a new album in '09, then got together in earnest in early 2010, when they started with producer Joe Chicarelli (Tori Amos, Counting Crows, My Morning Jacket). Some festival dates followed during the summer-pointedly not featuring any new songs-and when the Chicarelli sessions didn't pan out, the group shifted operations to Hammond's studio in upstate New York. Casablancas, meanwhile, recorded his vocals separately from the band for the first time. "I've been slowly relinquishing [control] in the band," he says, to "give everyone a chance to put their stamp on this and direct it as a group." Fraiture recently told the BBC that the album will mark a return to the Strokes' "classic sound," adding, "It's the album which should have been made between [2003 sophomore set] 'Room on Fire' and 'First Impressions of Earth.' "

Re: The Strokes

Whatever happens to the band now or in the future, at least they've given us some artful examples of rock formalism. Room on Fire isn't even 10 years old and it's already a classic as far as I'm concerned.

Re: The Strokes

The Strokes To Release Fifth Album Later This Year: Update

Nearly two years after the release of their fourth studio album "Angles," the Strokes are returning with new music. Billboard has confirmed a report that the Strokes' fifth studio album will be released later this year, and that the intended first single is titled "All The Time."

On Wednesday night (Jan. 16), Seattle radio station 107.7 The End hinted that they had heard new Strokes music in a post on its Facebook page. "Previewing brand new Strokes 'All the Time' thanks to RCA Records. We'll have to 'leak' this soon. You won't be disappointed… -mike," reads the message.

Last June, Billboard was the first to report that Julian Casablancas and co. had logged time at New York's Electric Lady Studios recording their fifth full-length. Although the group's representation denied that a new album was in the works, a source confirmed that the Strokes were holed up with producer Gus Oberg, who was responsible for mixing parts of "Angles."

"We have songs that you can tell are gonna be good ones (that) we're all excited to play," guitarist Albert Hammond Jr. told Billboard in 2011, when the group was on the festival circuit supporting "Angles. "I don't know if we're the kind of band that would ever play something new before it came out, just the way the Internet works and people recording it. I think even if we had the whole record done, we wouldn't play it 'til the album was out."

"Angles," which was released after a five-year break for the garage-rock mavericks, has sold 221,000 copies since hitting stores in March 2011, according to Nielsen SoundScan.